Angler and lionfish?

April F · 02/13/2010, 10:25 PM

I have the opportunity to purchase a very pretty, and very large anglerfish. It is 4+" tall and 7-8" long. It eats frozen well and is usually hand (tong) fed.
I would like to put it in a tank with a large volitans lionfish.

Would it be in the worst interest of either of these fish to do this? The lionfish couldn't be swallowed, but would they harass each other to death?

LisaD · 02/14/2010, 06:33 AM

I wouldn't do it unless you divide the tank. If there is any size differential (or if they get that way) it is likely one would try to eat the other. Anglers are notorious for trying to swallow lionfish close to their size or even larger.

namxas · 02/14/2010, 11:34 AM

+1...one never knows which fish might try the other for size, but i suspect it would be the angler that gives it a shot.

also, if the angler happens to be a Commerson's, it still has some growing to do as well.

LisaD · 02/14/2010, 11:37 AM

Oh, and anglers love to eat seahorses too. A great source of information on anglers is the chapter in Scott Michael's Reef Fishes volume 1.

GUR · 02/14/2010, 12:13 PM

i'm growing 4 anglers (3-12cm)with 5 lion fish (8-30cm) for 2 years, also in the public aquarium in Eilat (red sea) there is 20+cm angler with smaller lion fish in 150liter tank for many years/
my angler did eaten sohal tang 10cm....

LisaD · 02/14/2010, 04:31 PM

It can be done, but IMO it is a very large risk. I learned my lesson with anglers that ate fish I "assumed" were too big. Both fish died.

I've also temporarily kept an angler in a community tank, but as I said, you need to be aware that you are taking a chance.

April F · 02/14/2010, 09:51 PM

Never fear LisaD, the angler would never get the chance to see if it could swallow one of my seahorses.

Not wanting to have yet another species only tank, I think I will let the opportunity pass.
It's the answer I expected, but not the one I was hoping for.

Thanks all for your help.

LisaD · 02/14/2010, 10:00 PM

that sounds like a sweet angler, hard to pass up.

I figured you wouldn't expose your seahorses, but put that caveat in there, just in case.

fish stalker · 02/15/2010, 03:42 PM

this dilemma is how i ended up with all these tanks and of course being certifiable LOL! So many fish and not enough tanks...........

namxas · 02/16/2010, 01:30 PM

FWIW, i was talking with the owner of one of our LFS yesterday and somebody returned a hispid angler because it ate a volitans the same size as it is...and this wasn't the first fish it ate.

tanks4themem · 06/11/2010, 10:09 PM

It can be done. I am doing it now. However it really depends on the personality of the fish involved and more importantly the size of the fish involved. It is quite common for Anglers to eat Lion fish and survive. Angler fish can swallow a fish over 2 times its own body size. This is possible because They have a expandable stomach that expands to about twice the size of the angler fish itself!!!...lol

Here is my Blog for my tank, its only been 2 months so far but I did heavy research for several months before attempting this setup. http://tanks4thememories.blogspot.com/p/47-gallon-xt-sw-fowlr-predator-tank.html#top1

Hope this info helps

02/13/2010, 10:25 PM	#1
April F Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Oklahoma Posts: 198	Angler and lionfish? I have the opportunity to purchase a very pretty, and very large anglerfish. It is 4+" tall and 7-8" long. It eats frozen well and is usually hand (tong) fed. I would like to put it in a tank with a large volitans lionfish. Would it be in the worst interest of either of these fish to do this? The lionfish couldn't be swallowed, but would they harass each other to death?

02/14/2010, 11:34 AM	#3
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	+1...one never knows which fish might try the other for size, but i suspect it would be the angler that gives it a shot. also, if the angler happens to be a Commerson's, it still has some growing to do as well. __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

02/16/2010, 01:30 PM	#10
namxas Things With Stings R Us! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Carson, CA Posts: 5,087	FWIW, i was talking with the owner of one of our LFS yesterday and somebody returned a hispid angler because it ate a volitans the same size as it is...and this wasn't the first fish it ate. __________________ Greg Current Tank Info: too many to describe, but i think the count is up to "lucky 13"!

02/14/2010, 06:33 AM	#2
LisaD That's not a salmon Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: central North Carolina Posts: 6,986	I wouldn't do it unless you divide the tank. If there is any size differential (or if they get that way) it is likely one would try to eat the other. Anglers are notorious for trying to swallow lionfish close to their size or even larger.

02/14/2010, 11:37 AM	#4
LisaD That's not a salmon Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: central North Carolina Posts: 6,986	Oh, and anglers love to eat seahorses too. A great source of information on anglers is the chapter in Scott Michael's Reef Fishes volume 1.

02/14/2010, 12:13 PM	#5
GUR Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Israel Posts: 8	i'm growing 4 anglers (3-12cm)with 5 lion fish (8-30cm) for 2 years, also in the public aquarium in Eilat (red sea) there is 20+cm angler with smaller lion fish in 150liter tank for many years/ my angler did eaten sohal tang 10cm....

02/14/2010, 04:31 PM	#6
LisaD That's not a salmon Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: central North Carolina Posts: 6,986	It can be done, but IMO it is a very large risk. I learned my lesson with anglers that ate fish I "assumed" were too big. Both fish died. I've also temporarily kept an angler in a community tank, but as I said, you need to be aware that you are taking a chance.

02/14/2010, 09:51 PM	#7
April F Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Central Oklahoma Posts: 198	Never fear LisaD, the angler would never get the chance to see if it could swallow one of my seahorses. Not wanting to have yet another species only tank, I think I will let the opportunity pass. It's the answer I expected, but not the one I was hoping for. Thanks all for your help.

02/14/2010, 10:00 PM	#8
LisaD That's not a salmon Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: central North Carolina Posts: 6,986	that sounds like a sweet angler, hard to pass up. I figured you wouldn't expose your seahorses, but put that caveat in there, just in case.

02/15/2010, 03:42 PM	#9
fish stalker Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Houston Posts: 456	this dilemma is how i ended up with all these tanks and of course being certifiable LOL! So many fish and not enough tanks...........

06/11/2010, 10:09 PM	#11
tanks4themem Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: USA - East Coast Posts: 6	It can be done. I am doing it now. However it really depends on the personality of the fish involved and more importantly the size of the fish involved. It is quite common for Anglers to eat Lion fish and survive. Angler fish can swallow a fish over 2 times its own body size. This is possible because They have a expandable stomach that expands to about twice the size of the angler fish itself!!!...lol Here is my Blog for my tank, its only been 2 months so far but I did heavy research for several months before attempting this setup. http://tanks4thememories.blogspot.com/p/47-gallon-xt-sw-fowlr-predator-tank.html#top1 Hope this info helps